Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith with the Best Seller of all Times and a hot cup of coffee to give Him my Praise and my Thanks. I made a few Requests and tossed a few things at the foot of the Cross like I always do, but mostly my Heart was filled with Gratitude for the Peace and Protection over my life, my family, and this old farm. This view from my kitchen window put a smile on my face…it was like a hug from God after our time together. The stripes in the sky are traces of the jet streams of ones policing the skies to protect the world around me. Big sacrifices are made by the ones tasked with policing the sky, but nothing like the sacrifice of those Stripes of the One who paid the Ultimate Price for me. I don’t know the details of what goes on “behind closed doors” when I’m not looking….and I don’t want to know… but I do know that I live in the greatest country in the world and I serve the One who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name” …so I have no cause to fear at all! The Greatest Protection is there, and He never leaves the Throne. Hallelujah! Isn’t that the way you’re looking at this crazy world too?

It’s pretty amazing how so many people of Faith have the need to know as many of the details as they possibly can before they believe anything. Like doubting Thomas – unless you prove to them what God is up to, they refuse to believe it and they’ll write their own version of “truth.” Some people see God as a “show and tell” God, and if He doesn’t cough up the details when they want them, they’ll make them up on their own. Some people put their trust in another god…or a man with the version of “truth” they choose to believe in… and they ride the rumor train as fast and as hard as they can! Some buy into radical details shared by radical strangers and they busy themselves riding the radical train spreading their own truth as if it’s the gospel. For some reason LOTS of people can’t seem to kick their Faith into High Gear to that place where they Cling to Him much more than they cling to the world…to that place where spreading the Gospel is much more important than spreading their version of the news…to that place where lost souls are far more important than a lost election in the United States…to that place where they TRUST the Living God with all the details and where they’ll accept His Truth no matter what…good or “bad”…easy or not. Unfortunately, the stars and stripes message today is outshining the One Who bears the Stripes…and when that happens, it doesn’t make sense for us to believe that the Living God is pleased at all.

When Habakkuk pleaded with God to fill him in on His Plans, not only did God refuse to tell Habakkuk – he said, “if I told you what I’m about to do you wouldn’t believe it.” God has a Plan that was put together before the foundations of the earth and He’s not about to change His Plans just because we don’t like what He’s doing. He gives and He takes away. He brings Peace and He allows calamity sometimes. Although it’s possible to KNOW HIM intimately, we don’t know His Plans outside of what has already been written. But we DO know that “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” and with Him “ALL things work together for good for those WHO LOVE HIM and are called according to His Purpose.” IF we sincerely believe that… who needs step-by-step or blow-by-blow details?

I don’t know what’s going behind the scenes in America (or anywhere else) today, but I don’t need to know. No matter how many stripes I see in the sky…a sure sign of protection…I’ll focus on the healing Stripes instead…the Creator and Protector of all. After all, I Serve the One Who wrote the Book -and He already knows how the story ends. I’ll put ALL my trust in the One Who died for me…not just the one(s) who fought for me. I know that no matter what God does with the greatest nation in the world, He has a Plan…and He’s always Victorious…so, I’ll be sharing the Gospel with this lost world like never before, and I’ll be praying for my brothers and sisters to kick their Faith into high gear too…before it’s too late. The world needs Jesus…the world needs Hope. The Alpha and Omega…the Beginning and the End…is the Greatest Leader the world has ever known, and nobody will outshine Him in the end.

Onward Christian Soldiers!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The day is still young and yet I’ve already seen the Hand of my God in so many ways. Naturally, I see His Hand in the beauty around me. His Word says that man is “without excuse” because His Majesty can be seen everywhere in the heavens and on the earth. I saw His Hand as He guided me to Truth in His Word this morning…Truth that my Spirit needed to see and Lessons that can only be taught by Him. I saw His Hand in prayers answered precisely as I prayed them and I saw His Hand when this confident (yet humble) Servant thanked Him for hearing and intervening in the Life of another in ways I never could. As I look across the porch to the oak tree this morning I see that it still has a few relentless leaves hanging on to the branches and it reminded me of the Journey of Faith. Many have already fallen away but there are some of us looking for His Hand in everything and Relentlessly hanging onto His Promises with everything we’ve got. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey too?

Sometimes it’s not easy hanging onto the Branches when the world is riddled with darkness because our one true enemy is just as relentless in his goal to drop us to the ground as we are to hang on. He has the ability to throw darts at all the leaves and he never stops whispering lies to defeat us. Sometimes he comes around huffing and puffing like the wind, giving it everything he’s got to shake us loose, BUT Jesus can even rebuke the wind so his attempts are lame when we look to Jesus for help. Our enemy comes by way of division too, and I’m pretty sure he’s overjoyed at the “disjointed” and divided state of the Church these days. Sadly, only the leaves relentlessly hanging onto the Branch fully understand the battle and who is behind it and we KNOW what His Word says about the way we treat one another – “By this, all will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” When we determine to love one another there is no division because we are all of “one accord. Lastly, our enemy loves F E A R but the “spirit of fear” doesn’t come from God and fear isn’t just a feeling…it’s a spirit from the pit of Hell set out to destroy and the enemy knows that people hiding under the bed are powerless. BUT the leaves relentlessly hanging onto the Branch know that they have the power to rebuke any spirit at any time…and we do.

Unfortunately, there are many leaves on the ground that just didn’t hang onto the Branch. Some didn’t believe they could hold on during the storm so they fell under the pressure because they lack the Strength and Confidence that can only come from the Branch. Some didn’t think it was that big a deal to be a leaf on the ground as opposed to one relentlessly hanging onto the Branch, and their eternal destiny will reflect their lukewarm Heart because of it. And then there are some that have been so deceived that they wouldn’t know the Branch from a butterfly…they never knew the Branch at all. It doesn’t matter what excuse the leaves have for letting go of the Branch, all of them need people like me. They need someone to relentlessly pray for them to be able to hang on and they need a Word of Encouragement straight from the Throne of the Living God. As for those who didn’t think it was a big deal to hang on…well, the Bible gives us insight on them too when it says, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” Whatever the “cause”, leaves not relentlessly clinging to the Branch need Truth, Prayer, Patience, and Love…they need people like me.

I don’t know exactly how this day will unfold but it’s been pretty amazing so far. All I really know is that I am relentlessly clinging to the Branch just like these oak leaves are and I’m never letting go. I’ll be praying that when the downcast see me clinging with everything I’ve got, they might want to Know my Secret…the Source of my Strength, the source of my Confidence, the source of my Joy and, and the Source of my Faith…it calls from Jesus Christ…the same yesterday, today, and forevermore!

“For you, oh Lord, are a shield around me; you’re my glory and the lifter of my head” Psalm 3:3

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The Lord spoke to my Heart before I even settled into prayer or opened His Word and by the time I stepped outside to take a deep breath and snap this photo, I didn’t even notice I was barefoot in the bitter cold. I was so consumed by what He was teaching me in those quiet moments that everything else in and around me paled. My God is “a consuming fire” and when He “shows up” and breathes into the Heart of His people, you know it. So, I took it all in. I savored the moment. I prayed over what He spoke to me. And when I opened His Word, I didn’t have to search for “proof” of what He is prompting within me…He illuminated His Word instead. What a Mighty God I serve that would incline Himself toward this humble servant without me searching at all. Isn’t that the way He reaches you too?

I LOVE spending time in the Word of God. The Bible is a living, breathing Word and it’s the only book that can read me. When I open my Bible the Words come to life and my soul is nourished with Truth. I hope I don’t see the day when it is forbidden to be caught with a Bible (the way it is in other parts of the world) but IF that day comes in my lifetime, I’ll be okay because He dwells within me. I’ll be okay because what I’ve read will come to me in “instant recall” through His Spirit. I’ll be okay because I stand on the Rock. I’ll be okay because I know that if the day comes when His Word is ripped from my hands, nothing has the power to rip Him from my Heart. The dark side of the world might convince itself that it can forbid prayer and Bibles and disarm His people in the process…but that’s not true. He dwells within the Heart of His people and absolutely nothing can disarm those who Believe. “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world” and HE will show up and “show off” with the most incredible miracles when the dark side attempts to disarm His child. This is the Key to peace and joy in a world riddled with rot.

I was denominationally deceived for many years being taught that supernatural things died at Pentecost and I lived a powerless Journey of Faith because of it. When I said something like “God spoke to my Heart” I was corrected because “God doesn’t speak to people anymore”. In reality, you don’t build Faith with an intellectual approach to His Word and you don’t build Relationship if you never hear from God. To say God doesn’t speak to people anymore is to say that the Holy Spirit has no Purpose. To say that the miraculous gifts don’t exist anymore is to say that we (His people) are powerless and that Jesus was a liar when He said “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father”. The untapped Power available to every follower of Jesus Christ would blow the minds of the doubters.

I was taught that women have no business teaching the Word of God or sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ outside of their own gender and I thwarted God’s Plans for me because I was deceived by man. His Word is clear “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” and that pretty much settles it for me. Jesus first revealed Himself as the Messiah to the woman at the well and she was so excited to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ that she left her water vessel behind. She became the first “evangelist” in Samaria. That’s the beauty of my God – He meets us right where we are, and He’ll use every willing Vessel to share Truth with the world regardless of gender…despite what man says. In some ways, my world has gotten smaller as I stand firm for what His Word says because it goes against the doctrine I was taught. But that’s okay. On the other side, I’m busy feeding sheep and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ just like that woman at the well and I see how hungry they are to hear the Truth. As for the doubters…the Word addresses them too: “Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them” because they’re “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.”

The Lord spoke to my Heart in the wee hours of this new day and I’ll be consumed with His fire all day long. He’s my God and I’m His child. I believe in miracles and in the power of the Holy Spirit so I’ll live and share with BOLDNESS all the days of my Life. His Word and His Spirit taught me the Truth that no seminary or doctrine ever could and I’m standing on the Rock as a result. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” John 14:26

How about you? Do you have a form of godliness but deny its power?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week and I’m off to an uncharacteristically slow start…but that’s okay. The deer didn’t seem to notice that I was later than “usual” when they showed up to graze outside the kitchen window and I’m sure the Living God didn’t think “she’s late!” Psalm 139 says; You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar” So, no matter how slow I am in getting started this morning, He already knows that He was the first thought I had when I opened my eyes on this new day. No matter how slow I am to go to my quiet place this morning to declare my Love for Him, He already knows I Love Him because He’s already searched me He knows me. As long as I show up and I’m eager to “graze” just like this herd is, He’ll Feed me and Fill me with Truth. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey too?

Some people say that the “greatest sin” is religiosity and I don’t think that’s not too far from the truth. Religiosity gives birth to legalism where “law and order” override Love. Religiosity is what causes people to put God in a neat little box, and religiosity is what keeps Him there until it’s His allotted time. Religiosity is what sets hard and fast rules for what acceptable behavior looks like and religiosity has little room for Compassion. Religiosity is the founder of “tough love” and religiosity has guidelines for forgiveness. Religiosity sets schedules that are “sinful” to break and religiosity puts more value on its real estate than it does its people. Religiosity is the “ultimate authority” on all other denominations and it’s not afraid to criticize its brothers and sisters because of its “expertise.” Religiosity is sure to have its house in order where women quietly serve in the background and children are to be seen and not heard. Religiosity is a dangerous thing and I never want to fall prey to its snares. So, when I’m off to a slow start I try to look at life like this small herd of deer does… knowing that it’s not possible to be “late” for God and confident that He has already Searched me and Knows my every thought and my every need.

We could learn a lot from a herd of dear like how to take it easy and enjoy God’s blessings and how NOT to fret over provisions. We could learn a lot from how they stick together even though they don’t all look or act the same because they know they’re stronger together than they could ever be on their own. When they’re herding together they don’t much care about who the others “belong to” or what side of the field they were born on. When danger shows up, they don’t hesitate to stick their white tails up as high in the air as they can to warn the others of danger and to make sure their young can see them ahead in the tall grass. How sad it is that a simple deer is willing to warn other deer about upcoming danger and yet professed Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ refuse to warn others about Hell.

I’m off to a slow start but I’m Overflowing with Love and Gratitude for the Creator of all things after my time with Him just like I always am. I strive to live my life a lot like this herd of deer…patient and confident that “all things will be added unto me” and never fretting for my provisions. I won’t hesitate any more than a deer does to WARN others about how dangerous the road is up ahead for those who don’t Believe. I don’t care what they look like or where they’re from. I don’t care if they’re good, bad, or ugly. Religiosity will never be my friend and I pray for the ones caught up in its snares as much as I pray for the ones that haven’t been introduced to the King yet. He’s already searched me and He knows that He was my first thought when I opened my eyes this morning, and He Knows that He’ll be my last thought as I close my eyes tonight. He’s already searched me and He knows I mourn for the lost ones. He’s already searched me and He knows that I’m a Willing Vessel…one willing to run with the “Danger” Message just like He tells us to.

How about you? When He searches you, what does He see?

Psalm 139
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped outside to breathe a breath of fresh air and to see what kind of morning the Lord painted before my Time with Him. The cool air met with the warm air last night and the fields are so foggy you can’t see too far into the distance at all. But I know what’s beyond the fog and if I close my eyes I can see it all. I can see the fields and the pond. I can see the deer and the squirrels eating their morning meal. I can see it all because I am so familiar with it. Isn’t that the way it is in our Journey of Faith too? We can’t always see what’s up ahead, and we don’t always Know what God is doing through our Circumstances, but if we close our eyes we can see His face and we can recall His Word, and every once in while, we can even feel the Touch of the Master’s Hand. Isn’t that the way it is for your Journey of Faith too?

They say that the average “regular church attendee” reads the Word of God approximately one hour a week. If that’s true, it’s alarming! How could any student learn any topic if they only focus on it for one hour a week? How could any professed Believer get to Know Him and how (or why?) would He speak to them if they refuse to meet with Him? Not only is one hour a week not sufficient for you to become familiar with the Word of God and to embed it into your Heart, but it’s also not enough to “paint a picture” so vivid that you can recall the Words in your Heart even when you Bible is not in your hands. There is coming a time…in your lifetime or beyond…when Christians will not be permitted to gather together for church and Bibles will be against the law. You don’t think so? Hmm…perhaps you need to be putting more than one hour a week into His Word so you can see the Truth about our future too? Sadly, if there is ever a time when the Word of God will be needed for instant replay 24/7, it will be then! If that day comes in my Lifetime I’ll be sad not to have my Bible in my hands BUT I’ve spent so much time there that I am confident that I will be able to “see” it through the fog even with my eyes closed because it’s embedded in my Heart.

It’s painful for me to see so many “regular church attendees” walking around IN the fog when I know that all they need is a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ and more time in His Word. They scoff at the Truth just the way the Bible says they will and they settle into teaching that tickles their ears because they hunger to be entertained. They might have a Bible app on their phone but it’s rarely opened or read outside of the church. Sometimes they might reach for a copy of the Bible in the pew ahead, but they can rarely find the verse in time to read along because they aren’t familiar yet. Jesus really does “love the little children” but He expects them to grow up! He expects His Children to learn and grow every day. He expects His Children to hunger to be in His Presence every day. He expects His Children to be so familiar with Him that they recognize the voice of their Shepherd without hesitation or doubt. He expects His Children to know His Word like the back of their hands and He expects His Children to obey the “rules”. That’s what growing up (or maturing in Faith) looks like and it’s the ONLY way to be Confident and Capable when the fog shows up.

If it’s foggy today, that’s okay – I can see see the beauty with my eyes closed. If my Bible was taken from me today I’d be very sad because I love it so much and I love to spend Time in it with Him every day…but I wouldn’t be lost. I’ll always have the Holy Spirit to guide me and the Holy Spirit will illuminate the Words when I’m struggling if I ask Him to. I can still close my eyes and see His Words. My Heart knows what His Word says because I Know Him. I’m a grown-up Christian still in the works so I Work on getting stronger and better every day. I appreciate the fog but I’ll never be walking in it…church or no church…Bible or no bible…I’ll always have His Spirit and I’ll always have His Word embedded in my Heart. I’ve put in the Time and effort to Mature.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I crawled out of bed determined to face the flu head-on and I found my way to the foot of the Cross as fast as I could. Naturally, I prayed for healing, but more than that I gave Thanks to the God who has control over every cell in my body. He knit me together in my mother’s womb at His precise moment in time and He knows precisely when He’ll take me Home. He knows every hair on my head and He collects every tear I shed in a jar because each one is precious to Him. I know what it is to feel vibrant and healthy every other day of the year and I know what it is to crawl out of bed with the crud. The One who knit me together will restore me soon and the flu will be a thing of the past BUT my Gratitude for the One who shows me what vitality and health feel like on an average day will never fade. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey too?

The Bible says that “all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” but I believe most people miss the Truth in this scripture. God doesn’t just twist and turn every situation and every bad attitude into good…He works it together for good for THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. If you don’t love Him you can’t expect everything to be spun into something pretty at the end of the day. It’s when you LOVE HIM that you can spin a horrific case of the flu into a Heart full of Gratitude over the fact that it isn’t always this way instead of focusing on the flu and all the yuck that comes with it. When you’re CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE then you live with confidence that each trial, each setback, and all the tribulations are opportunities to glorify the King of all kings with the utmost Confidence that He’s doing a Mighty Work behind the scenes. Loving Him is the Key to all things working together for Good and the key to having the kind of “peace that surpasses all understanding” no matter what’s going on…flu and all.

I’ll let the One who has Control over every cell in my body worry about the healing part and I’ll give this day everything I’ve got in His Name. As long as I have breath I can sing His praises. As long as I have breath I can minister to a suffering soul. As long as I have breath I can speak a word of encouragement. As long as I have breath I can give thanks to the God of all Creation. As long as I have breath I can proclaim the name of Jesus Christ to the world. As long as I have breath I’ll do my Part to serve the Keeper of my cells with a Heart filled with Gratitude for all that He is and all that He does for me.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. As I prepared myself to meet with the Master of the Universe, I stopped to take a photo of the sunrise just like I always do. At first, I avoided the cold so I snapped the picture from my kitchen window and this is what I saw. So, I moved to the dining room to try again, and this is what I saw. Finally, I stepped out onto the front porch in my bare feet determined to get a “normal” photo of the sunrise and this is what I saw. No matter where I stood this morning, I didn’t capture a clear sunrise picture, but a beam of light from the heavens to earth instead. I’m a little hard-headed when I set out to accomplish something but I eventually got the message and I found my way to the Book of Malachi. When you’re hungry for more from God, He’ll use whatever He needs to use to head us in the Right Direction. This morning it was a sunbeam.

The Book of Malachi is often overlooked in Church teachings and that’s too bad. There’s no such thing as a “bad” book or a “boring” book or an “insignificant” Word from God. Some people wouldn’t have a clue as to where to find it in the Bible because they’ve seldom (if ever) turned there – it’s the last Book of the Old Testament and it’s filled with rich Treasures. When the Living God ushered me into the Book of Malachi with a simple sunbeam I knew immediately that He had a Word for me today. Some people doubt that the Lord gets that Specific as to Guide us this way or that way, but that’s because they don’t know that He says that if we will just acknowledge Him in ALL our ways, He will direct our path. Or maybe they don’t believe Him when He says, “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you”. Maybe that’s why we see so many “lukewarm” Believers…they have no idea about the power of our God and they’re ready to throw ice water on His Words any time because they doubt that He speaks to us this way. If that’s the case for you, the fourth chapter of Malach has a Word you need to read: “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them”. I’d watch the arrogance that causes you to deny the power of God if I were you!

Malach is short but sometimes not so sweet but there is Good News for those who Believe and that’s where the sunbeam and I come in. His Word says, “But for you who REVERE MY NAME, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.” I don’t know about you, but I revere His Name and I like the idea of frolicking around like a well-fed calf! The King is coming back One Day and I’ll be ready and waiting for the One Who loves me enough to die for me and who takes the Time to lead me to Truth through a sunbeam. I don’t have all the Answers but I do know that when you’re hungry for more from God, He’ll use whatever He needs to use to head us in the Right Direction. This morning it was that sunbeam.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I made my way into His Presence this morning I was filled with anticipation and Excitement just to be with Him. The pace of the holidays has taken its toll on my Time with my Savior and although I’ve spent time with Him and I’ve spent lots of time in prayer, absolutely nothing compares to Meeting with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith before I do anything else. He’s my Father and I’m His Child. He’s my Master and I’m His Servant. He’s my Rock and I’m His Warrior. He’s my Heart, and if all of me is in alignment with His Will, sometimes I’m His voice too. He sent His son to die for me so that I might have Life everlasting, and I’m a Messenger of the greatest birth announcement and “death certificate” story ever told. He’s not my afterthought – He’s my Future, so for all that to be possible, I need to be in His Presence even more than I need to breathe. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

Some people think I’m an uptight Christian because I’m so serious about my “routine” from the front porch first thing in the morning, but that’s not true. It’s because I know how to Recharge and Refuel for this Journey called Life and I’m serious about finishing well. I’m not trying to “prove” anything to God (or to the world) but I am trying to Serve Him with all that I am and I’m willing to go wherever He tells me to go. I can’t afford to allow Him to become an “afterthought” and neither can you! He wants to be first before anyone or anything else. He wants to be my First Love forever. He wants to be the One who occupies my thoughts and He wants to be the One I desire to Please. He wants to be the One I talk about and the One to fill my Heart with Joy. He’s the giver of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known and I’m Heaven bound because of it. When you look at it that way, how can anybody be okay NOT making Him their priority in this Journey called Life?

When I look back at Christmas and all the gifts I made with my hands and gave with my Heart, I know that the greatest Gift I’ll ever give away is the Legacy of my Faith. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been threaded into every ribbon on every present my tribe has ever received and now it continues to the next generation. My radar is always up to hear who is sprinkling Jesus into everything and who sees the Jesus message as an afterthought…and when I see the latter, I step up to tell “the rest of the story” to the next generation who needs the Legacy of my Faith too. The Truth is sprinkled into every conversation every time and the Love they see in me is only possible because of Him. They see that He’s my Biggest Priority and that I lean on Him. They see me Serving, and they see me Loving unconditionally. If any of the gift recipients were ever disappointed in the gifts I made with my hands and gave with my Heart, I won’t think much about that at all because I’ve already given them the GREATEST Gift of all Time and THAT gift will last for Eternity.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith at sunrise and I opened up my Instruction Manual with great anticipation for what He had for me today. I reflected on the Journey that led me to where I am, and I sought His Face for where He’ll lead me in the days ahead. I give it all to Him, and because I do, He continues to multiply the Blessings and my Life keeps getting Bigger. As hard as we try, we can’t outgive God. Human nature is inclined to hoard our blessings as if we might “lose” them if we don’t hold them close. But with God, it’s when we Give that we Receive and He’ll multiply all the fishes and loaves in Life when we do. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?

As I reflected on Life at the farm yesterday, the message of multiplication became crystal clear to me all over again. The Lord has allowed me to be the steward of a beautiful farm and I Know it doesn’t belong to me because I gave it to Him long ago. The doors have always been open to those in need, and each time they are, the farmhouse doesn’t feel closed-in or get smaller as space is shared with another…it gets bigger instead. My Heart has always been inclined to Love and I give it away freely when God puts people in my Path…the good, the bad, and the “ugly.” Even though I’ve been crushed more times than I can count, my Heart gets bigger with each blow. I’ve shared food every time God presented the opportunity even in times when it didn’t look like there would be enough to go around for my own. But God somehow multiplied the morsels into a magnificent feast and the ones I set out to bless found themselves filled with food and Overwhelmed by Love. I quit trying to hoard my Life a long time ago realizing that I am nothing without Him. It’s when we freely Give that we Receive His Favor in Supernatural ways that the mind of man can’t comprehend.

Yesterday the farmhouse was filled with Brothers and Sisters from The Well as we gathered to break bread and study His Word for the last time this year. At the same time, The Well was filled with a wedding party for a couple who had their first date here at the Revival in May. We were honored to open the barn doors to this sweet couple. What better place to make a Covenant before the Lord than in a barn that belongs to the One who Transformed it into a Chapel for His own glory? Two God-centered gatherings at one simple farm and everything got bigger, not smaller. Jesus Christ was glorified from one end of the farm to the other. Jesus Christ was Praised from one end of the farm to the other. Jesus Christ was honored from one end of the farm to the other. No, there’s no outgiving God. The more we Give of those things that human nature is inclined to hoard for itself, the more we Receive.

I am blessed beyond measure with a Life filled with Love and God’s favor upon me can be seen by the world But I’m no more special than anybody else and He loves us ALL the same. When we genuinely understand that nothing “belongs” to us and that there is “no good thing apart from Him” we no longer live like the average ones. I’m blessed because I freely Give all that He’s given to me…my home… my food…my Love…and even an old barn turned chapel. A home doesn’t get smaller when you share it nor will the refrigerator ever go empty because He’ll multiply all that you have when you freely give. You never run out of Love no matter how much you give it away or how many times you’ve been crushed. The more you Give, the more you Receive.

How about you?

FREELY, FREELY, YOU HAVE RECEIVED…

God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name.

I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name

And in Jesus’ name I come to you

To share his love as he told me to.

He said ‘Freely, freely you have received;, freely, freely give.

Go in my name, and because you believe others will know that I live.

All pow’r is giv’n in Jesus’ name

in earth and heav’n in jesus name

And in Jesus’ name I come to you

To share his pow’r as he told me to.

He said ‘Freely, freely you have received;, freely, freely give.

Go in my name, and because you believe others will know that I live.

God gives us life in Jesus’ name

he lives in us in Jesus’ name

And in Jesus’ name I come to you

To share his peace as he told me to.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the King of all kings inside a warm farmhouse and I gave thanks for all that He is and all that He does for me. I relocate this time of year for my quiet time. It’s too cold outside and the Christmas tree blocks my view of the fields from my desk. I’m not necessarily happy about either…but that’s just a selfish human reaction. Like Paul, I’ve learned to be content in all things so a little cold, icy weather and a blocked view of the outside don’t stop me from spending time with the One who died for me. He’s my King and I’m His child…how could I ever want for more?

It’s a blessing beyond measure to be content, but unfortunately, genuine contentment doesn’t come to the average Heart. We tend to want what we want when we want it, and we aren’t happy when life circumstances cause us to “relocate.” Death, disease, divorce, and debt have the potential to knock the wind out of our sails and sometimes we question God as a result. But none of those things have the power to rob us of Peace or contentment UNLESS we let them. The God of the universe is already in tomorrow and nothing takes Him by surprise, AND all things really do “work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His Purpose”. If He knows our circumstances even before we do, and if He’s ready to turn the “bad” into “good” how can we not be content in all things? The secret to genuine contentment is understanding that He ALWAYS has a Plan for Good no matter what it looks like on the outside.

Just like Paul, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty”. Although I can’t say I was necessarily joyful when I’ve been in need, I CAN say that I Trust Him with my circumstances and I believe Him when He says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” and that’s enough for me. I know what it is to sit in a cold farmhouse living without heat all winter long because I couldn’t afford to buy it – and I know what it is to turn up the thermostat to be sure my family and friends are warm when they visit and I know what it is to pay the expense for another. I know what it feels like to struggle through this life on my own for decades and what it looks like to be responsible for every piece – and I know what it is to lock arms with a suitable partner ready and willing to ease the burdens of the Journey of Life for me. I know what it is to be well-fed and I’ve been blessed to have dined with “kings”, and I know what it is to be hungry and worried about what I’d feed my family. I know what it is to be surrounded by amazing people who love me and aren’t afraid to show it and I know what it feels like to be betrayed by the “closest” ones. I have God’s favor because I give it all to Him and I have genuine contentment because I Trust Him through it all.

There are lots of people out there stressing over the holidays. Most of them are stressed about where to find the perfect give and how much room they have on their credit card to buy it just to please another. They don’t think much about the hungry and cold ones because they’re too focused on the sizzle. It wouldn’t occur to them to dial the spending back enough to pay a utility bill for one doing without or what it would look like to modify the food budget to provide for a hungry family. Sadly, these people will never find genuine contentment in life unless the world quits revolving around them, and all those things they think they “need” become less important than meeting the needs of another. Jesus said, “whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” so I know that every morsel I’ve shared, every spare room or bed I’ve shared, every penny I’ve shared to meet the needs of another I DID FOR HIM and I pray I hear “well done, good and faithful servant!” when He calls me Home. Until then, I’m content as long as I can do the work of my Lord and Savior and I’ll give until there’s nothing left.

How about you?

Philippians 4:11-13

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.